UPM to double broadleaved trees in its forests

The Finnish forest industry company UPM has adopted a large a new target of doubling the number of broadleaved trees growing in the forests it owns in Finland, said a press release.

According to current research data, increasing the proportion of broadleaved trees improves forest’s growth and yield as well as species diversity and resistance to climate change.

UPM plans to increase the proportion of broadleaved trees to one fifth of all tree species growing in habitats that are suitable for birch. The dominant tree species growing in Finnish forests are typically pine and spruce.

“It makes sense from every angle. It will improve our yield capacity and also safeguard biodiversity. It will additionally ensure that our forests stay healthy and better equipped to resist the altered conditions caused by climate change. In the multi-purpose forestry sector, we strongly rely on native tree species,” said UPM Forest Senior Vice-President Sauli Brander.

UPM’s forest assets in Finland cover over half a million hectares. Although UPM sources the majority of its wood from private forest owners, company-owned forests play an important role in its wood sourcing, development of forestry operations, and training of personnel.

UPM is the first forest company in the world to officially adopt the target of enhancing biodiversity in company-owned forests by 2030.

The new decision to increase the amount of broadleaved trees forms part of an extensive toolkit of instruments for safeguarding biodiversity.